


tautology collection

by platonics



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Hope's Peak Academy (Dangan Ronpa), Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Dancing, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Holding Hands, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Knifeplay, Love Across The Universe: Dangan Salmon Team, Nonbinary Character, Other, Pre-Game Personalities (New Dangan Ronpa V3), Unrequited Crush, Vampires, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-02-28 16:40:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18760321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/platonics/pseuds/platonics
Summary: A collection of short DR oneshots, various settings and ships. There may be some overarching themes and storylines, but each chapter is self-contained and can be read on its own.**closed! this is no longer being updated**





	1. Kaede/Tenko - Warmth

**Author's Note:**

> tenkaede (& mentioned, one-sided tenmiko), hope's peak au
> 
> word count: 1328
> 
> tenko and kaede take a walk.

"I just don't get it," Tenko said, kicking at the ground and sending a shower of gravel along the path in front of her. "I care about her so much. So much! Tenko would do anything for her. She's like an angel and I just want to make her happy and be by her side. Is Tenko doing something wrong? Does she not know?" Her voice grew increasingly urgent as she went on, face heating up. 

Beside her, another angel hummed softly, adjusting the strap of her bag. Her blonde hair sparkled in the sunlight, and it seemed to Tenko as though the weather itself had worked solely for Kaede's benefit. 

"I don't think that's it," Kaede said, glancing over at her as they walked. "I'm sure Yumeno-san knows how fond you are of her. You're really easy to read. Not that it's a bad thing...I think it's great that you're so positive and open! It means that you don't really give people mixed signals or make them wonder what your intentions are. But as much as you want to help, sometimes people just don't think about things the same way as you. That's something I have problems with too," she admitted, laughing softly. It was such a beautiful sound that Tenko's heart fluttered despite herself.

"That's one way that we're really similar, I think. We both want to make people feel more confident in themselves and take the best path possible, but...We can't do everything," Kaede continued. "If they don't want help, it's better to just support them in whatever they choose, and be there for them in other ways."

"I guess so...Tenko would never want to make Himiko upset, but I just don't want her to get hurt. No...no _man_ could ever treat her half as well as she deserves to be. She...she has to be protected! Nobody can do that better than Tenko, especially when it comes to keeping an eye on those menaces." Tenko wanted to punch something. A degenerate would be best, but anything would do. If Kaede wasn't with her, she'd head straight to the dojo to get this frustration out. Aikido was always there for her, even when nothing else seemed to be going right. 

"I think you have to give her the chance to look out for herself, though." Once again, Kaede's voice drew her out of her thoughts, returning her to the present. A quiet, empty path weaving through campus, behind the greenhouses and gardens. Tenko never had much of a reason to go near the science buildings, but she was beginning to think it might be worth it to come here more. Occasionally, the sounds of distant voices and footsteps made their way to them, but more than anything else, it was quiet here. Just the warm sun, the gentle breeze, and a beautiful girl by her side.

Kaede's words barely made sense. Of course Himiko couldn't look out for herself. She was so small and weak, and so worryingly withdrawn sometimes. If some filthy man wanted to take advantage of her somehow, there was no way she'd be able to defend herself! For that matter, she might not even care enough to try. Tenko knew that Kaede didn't know Himiko nearly as well as _she_ did, but really, the problem with the other girl's idea should be obvious. Frustration still bubbling inside her, Tenko took some time to digest the advice anyway. Silence settled over them as they walked, only the crunch of gravel underfoot interrupting it.

"And I really don't think anyone in our class would want to hurt Yumeno-san." Kaede's expression was earnest and open. Trustworthy. She reached out, taking Tenko's hand and squeezing it. "Sure, sometimes people don't get along, but nobody has anything against her, right? We're not strangers. All sixteen of us are classmates, friends."

A frustrated noise escaped Tenko's throat. Her eyes burned. She squeezed Kaede's hand back, taking care not to grip too hard. Most people weren't as strong as her, after all, and the last thing she wanted to do was accidentally hurt a girl. 

"We have such a connection. We'd be so good together. I just don't understand why she'd choose..." She trailed off. Tenko wasn't ashamed to share her feelings with Kaede, but finishing that sentence would just be too much. No degenerate even deserved to have his name cross her lips anyway.

Kaede frowned, lips parting as though she was considering saying something, but then she shook her head, a gentle smile appearing on her face instead.

"It's normal to feel hurt right now, but dwelling on it won't do you any good, and you definitely shouldn't try to change Yumeno-san's mind about this. Right now, maybe what you need is a distraction. Let me show you somewhere nice."

There was no way she could say no. Tenko nodded, raising her free hand to wipe at her watery eyes. Kaede was absolutely right. She had to be strong, and maybe Himiko would still change her mind on her own anyway. It was too soon to think there was no hope left. Kaede was being so sweet too, talking to her like this. Stopping in her tracks, Tenko turned to pull her into a tight hug, sniffling.

"You're so amazing, Kaede. Helping other girls is so important. Tenko's so grateful to you."

Very much unlike Himiko, Kaede hugged back just as tightly.

"It's nothing, really. I'm happy to listen. We're friends, and besides, it's kinda my job as the class rep to make sure everyone is getting along, right? Now c'mon, I think you're really gonna love this!" Breaking away from the hug, but taking her hand again in compromise, Kaede led the way. They'd passed most of the buildings on this side of campus now, drawing closer to the boundary between Hope's Peak and everything outside of it. To Tenko's surprise, they were approaching a small, pristine courtyard. On its own, that was nothing special. There were various courtyards scattered all over campus. This one, however, looked untouched. Between the delicate, wrought-iron benches and blooming flowers, a tiny stream burbled cheerfully, seemingly starting and ending out of nowhere. Undoubtedly the work of someone with a science related talent.

"Oh, wow," Tenko breathed, bounding over and sitting on the ground. The cobblestones lining the courtyard were warm underneath her, and when she dipped her fingers into the mysterious stream, the water was refreshingly cool. "This is so beautiful. Tenko had no idea this place was even here! It's like a whole little world just for us."

"I thought you might appreciate it," Kaede said, smoothing out her skirt and delicately taking a seat beside her. "I stumbled across it accidentally in our first year, and ever since then, it's been a nice place to clear my thoughts. I've almost never seen anyone else here."

"And you're sharing that with Tenko? Something so special?"

"Of course." A hand settled on Tenko's thigh, Kaede's fingertips just barely brushing the bare skin past the hem of her shorts. "Sharing nice things with people you care about makes them even better. Maybe we can come here together sometimes, whenever you need to get away from everything with Yumeno-san for awhile."

Tenko could feel herself blushing. She lifted her wet hand from the stream and pressed it to her face in an attempt to calm the flustered heat, but it was no use. Kaede's gaze followed her movements. She seemed absolutely charmed by the blunder. How could that be? Tenko knew she wasn't nearly as cute as the other girls in their class.

"Y-yes! Tenko would love that. And let me know if you're having any problems, especially with degenerates. Tenko wants to help you too, and she protects _all_ girls from the treachery of men, especially someone as cute as you."

"Cute, huh? You're pretty cute too, you know."

Without even noticing, her anger had disappeared.


	2. Himiko/Shuichi - Dancing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> saimeno, salmon mode au, requested by Honeybeegirl94
> 
> 935 words
> 
> himiko asks shuichi to teach her how to dance. tsumugi is tsumugi.

"Hey, Saihara." 

"Oh, Yumeno-san. This is a surprise. Is there something I can help you with?" 

The daily life Shuichi had been plunged into over the past week or so was more bizarre than anything he could have imagined. He spent his time reading up on all sorts of mysteries and police cases, and had never once encountered anything this strange. Kidnapped and plunged into some sort of dating show? Reality was stranger than fiction sometimes. Everyone had been worried about their situation at first, but it didn't seem like they were in any danger. In fact, there had even been fun moments here and there. Mostly thanks to Akamatsu, their bubbly, fearless leader, but...

Some of the others here were surprisingly charming too. Exhibit A, Himiko Yumeno.

"Well, yeah, actually," Himiko said, punctuating her statement with a yawn. She shrugged, curling a lock of hair around her finger and looking away. "I want you to teach me something."

"Teach you?" Shuichi could feel himself blushing. Ugh, how embarrassing. He tugged the brim of his hat lower, perfectly content with Yumeno's tendency not to make eye contact with anyone. "Um, I...can do my best, but what exactly do you want me to teach you? Someone else might be more helpful..."

"No. My magic is telling me it has to be you." She paused for a moment before continuing. "You know how Akamatsu was talking about ballroom dance and stuff the other day? I want you to teach me how to dance."

Shuichi nodded slowly, taking in that information. He knew exactly what Yumeno was talking about. The conversation had started up at dinner, and it turned out that both Akamatsu and Amami had experience with formal dance. Gokuhara, of course, had wanted to know more for the sake of being gentlemanly, and everyone else had mostly been intrigued. But...what use could Yumeno possibly have for those kinds of skills here?

"Why me, then? Wouldn't Akamatsu-san or Amami-kun make more sense?"

"You know how to dance too, don't you?" Yumeno tipped her head to the side, giving off the impression of a cat trying to decide if something was worth its time. "Why not?"

"A little, yeah. If...your magic is really telling you that it has to be me, then I'd be happy to give it a try." 

* * *

Shuichi didn't consider himself the most graceful person alive, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that Yumeno was far worse. She kept tripping over his feet, turning the wrong way, stopping abruptly...It was a total disaster. Not that he'd tell her that, of course. This actually seemed to be the best she could do. For that matter, she still hadn't explained why she was suddenly interested in dancing in the first place. Yumeno didn't seem the type to do things just for the hell of it, especially things involving physical activity.

"Ah, maybe we should take a little break, huh?" He chuckled, unwrapping his arms from around her smaller frame and nervously adjusting his hat. "We've been at this for quite awhile now."

Yumeno pouted, the clearest display of emotion he'd seen from her today, and slumped down in the nearest chair. Shuichi couldn't pinpoint why, but it felt like the mood of the entire room had shifted.

"Yumeno-san? Is something wrong?" he asked, taking a step closer.

"I know I'm not any good at it," she mumbled, scuffing her boot against the floor. "Sorry for wasting your time. It's not like I even cared about learning to dance anyway. Too much work." No further explanation seemed to be forthcoming. Shuichi waited a moment, and then continued approaching, sitting down next to her. An unfortunate side effect of being a detective was that it was incredibly hard to set a puzzle down.

"You didn't?"

"Whatever, it's not a big deal or anything. I just..." Another moment passed. Shuichi waited, heart skipping a beat. "The dance was just a new way of spell casting. A...way to get your arms around me."

"Oh. _Oh._ Well...you don't need an excuse for that. I could just do it anyway," he said, gaze fixed on the wall across from them. "You could just ask."

"Oh," Yumeno echoed. Then, slowly, she moved closer, resting her head against his shoulder. His first instinct was to flinch away, not used to physical contact with anyone, but this was nice. Comforting. He wrapped one arm around her carefully, allowing himself to get used to it.

"Yeah. Whenever you'd like."

* * *

In a dimly lit room, illuminated only by the glow of computer monitors, Shirogane Tsumugi smiled. Audiences were so pleased. Just as they should be, of course. Her work was nearly perfect. Even so, she wanted to aim for even greater heights. The way she was expanding the Danganronpa universe was legendary. As long as she had the support of the world, she could keep building on it.

Besides, she thought, gaze unfocused as she spun around in her computer chair. This wasn't quite right anyway. Sweet, but she wanted something with more chemistry, more passion. Next time would be even better. She knew it.

Scooting closer to her keyboard once again, Tsumugi backed up the footage she'd been re-watching, carefully organizing it into the proper folder. The data on the simulation itself had already been saved as well, safe and sound in case she ever wanted to pick it back up again or implant those memories. Those two really had been rather cute, fumbling their way through a dance together.

Tsumugi giggled, not even batting an eye as she clicked 'restart.'


	3. Celeste/Kyoko - After a Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> celesgiri, ambiguous non-despair au, anon request
> 
> 553 words
> 
> after their first real date, kyoko and celes realize how comfortable with each other they've become.

"Something wrong, ma cherie?" 

Kyoko cleared her throat, hoping that she wasn't visibly blushing. Something about her girlfriend speaking French always managed to get her flustered. Some people considered Celes' European persona to be overly forced and unnatural, but Kyoko couldn't help but find it charming. After all, it was that cunning and charm that had caught her attention to begin with. However, she was fond of Yasuhiro Taeko as well. The fact that Celes trusted her enough to let down her guard and be her more relaxed self was incredibly precious to her.

"No, nothing. I was just lost in thought for a moment. Don't worry about it." Avoiding eye contact, Kyoko fiddled with her hair. A quick consideration of her options ended with her taking a careful seat on the edge of the bed, glancing around. 

"Hmm." Celes didn't seem convinced, flawlessly manicured nails tapping against her vanity and sending soft clicking sounds across the room. "I'm not so sure about that. Is it possible you could be lying to me, Miss Detective?" Her lips curled into a wicked smile, still just as enchanting without the heavy layers of makeup she wore in public. 

Kyoko scoffed, though the tiny smile tugging at her own lips revealed that she wasn't actually annoyed by being called out on her flimsy excuse. Detective instincts as attuned as ever, she noticed the other's hands trembling slightly as she unclipped her drills and carefully put them away. She wasn't the only one who was still a little nervous about the new closeness between them.

"Well, if you insist on knowing exactly what was on my mind..." She got to her feet again, crossing the room to where Celes was sitting. "I was thinking about how beautiful you are, Taeko," Kyoko murmured, wrapping her arms around her. "Those sorts of flowery declarations don't sound quite right coming from me though, do they? I'm not sure I have the personality for it."

"Naturally. The concept of you, or anyone else, being as elegant and charming as me is simply impossible." However, in the mirror, Kyoko could see that her girlfriend wasn't nearly as composed as she was trying to sound. She didn't object to being called by her given name either. "However, I appreciate the attempt. Things like that are what help maintain your status as the world's only A rank."

"Could it be that my words got you flustered so easily?" she asked, mimicking Celes' tone from earlier. "My, my, how expressive you are all of a sudden. Who would have thought a single date would make you act like this?"

"It's nothing." Dropping her feigned accent, Celes rolled her eyes, tugging Kyoko a little closer. "It...really was a nice date though. Worth the wait, I think. Even the world's most talented servants couldn't arrange a more satisfying day, I believe." 

"Then is it safe to assume you'll do me the honor of going out with me again on Saturday?" 

"Naturally. I trust you'll make it worth my while." That said, Celes turned her head, connecting their lips in a kiss. Kyoko smiled into it, gloved fingers running through short black hair. 

"Whatever you desire." Regardless of her sarcastic tone, it wasn't entirely a joke. After years of playful rivalry, Taeko had effortlessly captured her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tbh i was kinda worried about writing these two as cute and playful while still making it seem in character, so hopefully i succeeded in that!


	4. Himiko/Korekiyo - Accomplice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> himikiyo, non-despair au (they're in their early 20s) - also, while it's not enough to bump the rating to m, be aware that this chapter has some sexual implications, specifically bdsm/knifeplay
> 
> 658 words
> 
> himiko yumeno's guide to supporting your s/o in everything they do.

In a lavish hotel room, the news was on. The hotel was nothing special, aside from perhaps being out of the average person's price range. It sat in the middle of a bustling city, housing businessmen and wealthy travelers alike. In this particular suite, the newsanchor's voice droned on from the TV, discussing reports of yet another mysterious murder. The body of a young woman found in the woods, tied up and throat slit. The description painted a horrific scene, but the room's occupant didn't seem bothered. She yawned, downing the last bit of coffee at the bottom of her mug.

Himiko Yumeno got up from the bed, fetching a sweater from the closet. Well-worn and forest green, it fell to her thighs when she pulled it on, inhaling the familiar smell of incense. The same news story was still running, interviewees crying over the futility of finding the killer. What sort of fiend would commit such gruesome murders all over Japan? Himiko snickered and changed the channel, flopping back onto the bed again.

Moments later, the door swung open slowly, wood creaking. She glanced up again, a genuine smile gracing her face for the first time that day.

"You're late. What happened?"

"Nothing of consequence," Korekiyo replied, giving an unconcerned shrug as they closed the door behind them. As they took a second look at her, Himiko could see them smiling underneath their mask. "You're wearing my sweater," they said.

"Yeah, I am." She smiled back at them, grabbing the remote to turn the television off. After all, she had something far more appealing to devote her attention to now. "The cops are idiots as always, if you were wondering. I swear, they might as well just record one generic story and use it over and over instead of wasting their breath. They hardly ever have any witnesses anyway."

"Even if they did, it's highly unlikely they'd make their way to the truth." Korekiyo joined her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her. Content, Himiko snuggled into their chest, tipping her head up to press a fleeting kiss to their jaw. Afterwards, a dark stain caught her eye. Sighing, she raised an eyebrow, giving them a look of fond exasperation. 

"Did you forget to check your clothes? You have blood on your jacket." Temporarily pulling out of their embrace, Himiko set about unbuttoning their jacket and sliding it off. "I hope nobody saw that."

"I spent some time in the lab," they said, helping her remove the offending article of clothing. "I could have blamed it on something there if need be. However, nobody commented, and the mere presence of a stain isn't proof of anything. For that matter, I could have blamed it on our shared hobbies as well. Few people would wish to dig very deeply into that."

Himiko laughed, fingers sliding up to hook under the fabric of their mask, tugging it down.

"Oh? What are you implying?" Her eyes intently followed the movement of their hand as they reached out towards the nightstand. They opened the drawer, withdrawing a knife with an ornately carved handle. In one smooth motion, they passed it to her and promptly began unbuttoning their shirt, exposing the pale, scarred skin beneath.

"If the blood was my own, well, there's no place for investigation in that, is there? Celebrities or not, we are entitled to our privacy." Their lipstick had smeared a bit in the process of pulling their mask down. Himiko lifted her free hand, wiping the smudge away with her thumb. Then she leaned in, giving them a long, lingering kiss.

"Mm, that's true. It'd be quite a scandal, talking about that kind of thing on the news."

"Best to make the excuse convincing, just in case." Thin, spidery fingers wrapped around her wrist, bringing her hand closer. "Don't you think?"

Himiko nodded, smirk reflected in the metal of the blade.

"I think you're absolutely right."


	5. Kaede/Tsumugi - Protection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kaemugi, canon divergence, requested by Mystery fan
> 
> 703 words
> 
> tsumugi rigs the first case to protect her favorite character.

Kaede was so beautiful, so kind, so inspiring. Thoughts like this crossed Tsumugi's mind often, infatuated as she was with the unofficial leader of their group. Even in the most dire of situations, like the time limit that threatened all of their lives, she couldn't help but think about Kaede and wish that she was worthy of her love. The time limit was no longer a threat, of course, saving everyone from certain death for now, but the real trouble for Tsumugi had just begun.

Unless she could guide the killing game on a path even better than her initial plans, she was totally going to lose her job for this. A good mastermind only broke the rules when absolutely necessary, and here she was doing it right at the beginning.

Tsumugi shook her head in an attempt to clear those thoughts out of her mind, scrubbing her hands clean. No point in fretting over something that was already done. She turned off the water and stepped over to the hand dryer, watching as every clean droplet, no longer stained red with blood, was wicked away. Her nail polish had started to chip, bringing a frown to Tsumugi's face. She'd been jealous when Rantaro butted in and ruined her alone time with Kaede, it was true, but she'd miss him all the same. They'd been such good friends once.

She returned to the dining hall, taking a seat at the table and watching her classmates. Miu was still tinkering with...whatever that was supposed to be, as if she didn't even notice the loud, obnoxious background music had just cut out. Korekiyo, on the other hand, looked a little too alert for Tsumugi's liking, raising an eyebrow and giving her a look as if to say, 'alright, now what?' She offered a hesitant smile in return, averting her gaze in favor of looking at Kirumi just as the body discovery announcement played.

* * *

The despair on Kaede's face was perfect. Shuichi laid dead on the ground, hat resting a short distance from his body. Blood oozed sluggishly from his head and seeped into the library carpet, already slowing after the fatal impact. Even the security receiver, still clenched tight in his fist, was splattered with red. Kaede sobbed, and Tsumugi was forced to do the same to hide her laughter. 

Goodbye, boy detective, she thought. Kaede has a new sidekick now.

"Such a shame," Rantaro said grimly, shaking his head. Ironic, how he didn't even know his words would soon apply to himself. Too knowledgeable to live. "I thought I could end this game, but it seems it won't be that easy. Someone's a better puppetmaster than I gave them credit for."

Maybe it was just her imagination, but Tsumugi almost thought he glanced over at her as he said it. One more reason he needed to go.

She stepped closer to Kaede, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. God, she could almost smell the fruity scent of her shampoo, could feel the softness of her vest and the warmth of her body. Tsumugi was beginning to understand why Korekiyo felt the way he did about humanity, because even Kaede's tears were beautiful.

"I'm so sorry, Kaede," she said, her voice just shaky enough. "I know you were closer to Shuichi than anyone else here. But...we're going to find who did this together, and make sure no more killings happen! We're all here for you. E-especially me. I may be too plain and unimpressive to be much help, but I'll stay by your side no matter what and do whatever I can, so please try not to worry," Tsumugi urged.

Kaede mustered up a shaky smile. Strong even when her best friend had been murdered...one of the many things Tsumugi loved about her.

"Thanks, Tsumugi. That's really nice of you. You're right, we can't give up now. Shuichi would want us to work as hard as we can to solve this case."

* * *

Just as she'd planned, they all fell for her frame job perfectly. With both Shuichi and Rantaro out of the way, there was nothing to harm her wonderful protagonist, and nobody to get in the way. Kaede was hers.


	6. Chiaki/Sonia - Bite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sonianami, no hope's peak, requested by Ocean Man
> 
> 1702 words
> 
> video games are the way to any girl's heart. (alternatively: in which i include a kork cameo because i have no self-control)

Why such a major gaming tournament was happening in a country she'd never even heard of before, Chiaki had no idea. There was no way that was going to stop her though. A cursory search online had revealed that Novoselic was a small European kingdom. It did well enough for itself, apparently, but wasn't particularly involved in world affairs. The photos looked quaint, plenty of lush forests and old castles to see. Not that Chiaki cared much about the scenery, since she'd only be going there to play video games, but it was nice to know anyway.

A few people online had also mentioned that there were some rumors about the royal family. Too many people had made similar allusions for Chiaki to dismiss it as a conspiracy theory or one person's bizarre ramblings, but all of them had been incredibly vague. It was concerning to say the least. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that it might be good to get to the bottom of that, but she was only going to be visiting for a few days. It wasn't like she'd be living there or anything...There was no reason to spend precious gaming time researching the inner workings of somewhere so far removed from her own life.

That had been decided a couple of months ago, and ever since, Chiaki hadn't spared it another thought. It wasn't until she actually found herself in the Novoselic airport, loitering near the baggage claim, that she remembered that evening of research. 

"Is this your first time in Novoselic?" The voice came from somewhere off to her right, and it took her a moment to realize that it was directed at her. Chiaki turned to look at them, stifling a yawn. 

"Yeah, it is," she murmured, tipping her head to the side. "I'm here for the tournament this weekend. How about you?"

"Oh, I'm here on business," they replied, still perfectly pleasant, but in a tone suggesting that further questions about it wouldn't be welcome. "It's my...fourth time, I believe? It's a lovely place, really. Beautiful. You know, if you look out this window here, you should be able to get a glimpse of the royal castle." 

Chiaki peered out in the direction they were pointing, and sure enough, in the midst of the trees dotting the landscape, she could see a tower of gray stone that appeared to be at the corner of a much larger structure. It really was impressive, despite her usual lack of interest in such things. The curiosity the royal family inspired (especially the princess, whose photos alone had been enough to make Chiaki's heart flutter) certainly helped. 

"Oh, wow, there it is," she said, glancing over to her odd conversational partner, who was staring off into space as if they had something else on their mind entirely. "I see it. I totally wouldn't have thought it was this close without you telling me."

They merely hummed in acknowledgment, giving Chiaki the impression that the conversation was over. That was fine by her. She could spot her suitcase coming her way, and she was no good at small talk. Wordlessly, she walked over to retrieve her luggage from the carousel, but before leaving, she turned back to them, frowning thoughtfully. 

"Hey, could I ask you a question?" 

Her voice seemed to jolt them out of whatever hypnotic daze they'd drifted into. They startled slightly, but then relaxed, adjusting their hat. Maybe they weren't good at conversations either, despite having started one with her. Chiaki could sympathize with that.

"You just did, but yes, proceed. I'm happy to hear whatever thoughts you may have."

"If you've been here before...do you know anything about the royal family?" she asked. "I've heard a lot of talk about rumors, but nothing about what the rumors actually are. It's strange."

The stranger chuckled, shaking their head. For a moment, Chiaki thought that they weren't going to answer.

"I'm aware of the stories. Many would dismiss them as simple myths...urban legends, perhaps. It's only natural for such important figures as royalty to be shaped into something surpassing the limits of humanity itself, yes? As to whether the population truly believes, well, that's one of the things I'm here to study. I cannot prove nor disprove the claims, but I can simply inform you of their substance. The royals of Novoselic are not humans, but vampires, or so the story goes. I shall allow you to form an opinion on the matter on your own." They laughed softly, raising a hand in farewell. 

"I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors."

* * *

The bizarre encounter in the airport had raised more questions than it answered. There was no way that vampires were real, right? Were they just messing with her by making up something like that?

Chiaki was lounging on a couch at the convention center, mulling over the merits of vampires being real. There was quite a bit of time before she had to get back to the competition, and she needed something to occupy her mind so she wouldn't be tempted to drift off to sleep. Before she could get too lost in thought, however, she was greeted with the most radiant smile she'd ever seen.

"Ah, hello. I'm terribly sorry to disturb you, but I just had to meet you! You're Nanami Chiaki, right? Everyone's saying you're one of the best players in the world." The voice belonged to a girl about her own age, and Chiaki was taken aback by just how beautiful she was. She radiated poise and confidence, the sort of aura that would draw anyone's attention. Blonde hair fell in long, soft waves down her back, and in stark contrast to most of the attendees, she was dressed incredibly stylishly. Chiaki's mind instantly went back to the pictures she'd seen online. It couldn't be...could it?

"Yeah, that's me. I'm just...really passionate about video games, that's all. They're kind of my life," she replied slowly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "And you're..." Chiaki couldn't finish her sentence. Having that smile directed at her was frying her brain.

"Oh, that's right! How rude of me, coming up to you like this and failing to introduce myself. I'm not very used to talking to foreigners, you see." She gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "I'm Sonia Nevermind, princess of Novoselic. It's nice to meet you, Nanami-san."

"Nice to meet you too..." Chiaki hesitated. How was she supposed to address her?

"Please, call me Sonia." Leave it to a princess to immediately pick up on how someone was feeling, she supposed. Chiaki's face warmed at being treated with such familiarity by someone like Sonia, but she certainly wasn't complaining.

"Okay, Sonia-san," she agreed. "In that case...you can call me Chiaki."

Beaming, Sonia sat down next to her, clapping her hands together in excitement. Her eyes positively sparkled. Chiaki wasn't the best at reading the air, but she got the impression that Sonia didn't get to have casual conversations like this very often.

"Chiaki-san, I'm a big fan! I must confess I have not gotten the chance to play video games before, but that is why I've been looking forward to my kingdom hosting this event! It seems like so much fun. I was wondering...would you teach me?"

"You...want me to teach you how to play video games?" Chiaki echoed. This was getting more surreal by the moment. Sonia, apparently not finding this situation unusual in the slightest, nodded enthusiastically. 

"Oh, but I understand if you're busy, of course. Please don't feel obligated." 

"No, I don't mind," she said. "I think...yeah. It'd be fun." Chiaki nodded, smiling at her. "I'd be happy to teach you." Gaming was fun, no matter who it was with. Even if teaching Sonia meant she missed out on some of the competition, that was okay. Besides, maybe she'd get to find out if those stories were really true...

"Awesome!" Sonia exclaimed. Her enthusiasm certainly seemed genuine, but her inflection was just a bit off, as if reading a word she'd never seen before. It was oddly endearing. "If you'd like, we could return to the castle."

* * *

Sure enough, the lesson turned out to be a lot of fun. At first, Sonia was comically bad at every game they tried, but with practice and careful instruction from Chiaki, she began to improve. Leaning close to help her with the controls was oddly thrilling. Their arms occasionally brushed, and Chiaki could smell the light, floral scent of Sonia's perfume. It wasn't until a few hours had passed that she noticed she felt no warmth emanating from the princess at all. Her attitude was plenty warm, but as far as actual body heat, nothing.

"Sonia-san...?" Chiaki murmured eventually, trying to figure out a way to broach the topic.

"Yes? Is something the matter?"

"I'm sorry if this sounds rude at all, but I was wondering...I mean, I've heard some stories about your family..."

"Oh, yes," Sonia said, pausing the game and laughing softly. "Traditions and folklore are very much an important part of our culture. People are very attached to that sort of thing. I'm sure you have similar legends in Japan. However...you're wondering if it's true, no?"

Chiaki nodded, feeling rather like she'd been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. Sonia didn't seem bothered at all though, her placid expression not wavering a bit.

"What if I told you it was completely true?"

"Um, well...I'm not sure." Sonia hadn't done anything in their time together to suggest she had any malicious intentions, but a chill shot down Chiaki's spine all the same. Vampires...it was just too unbelievable. She forced a laugh, deciding that Sonia's answer must have been a joke. "That'd be pretty crazy."

Sonia laughed along with her, shifting her controller from hand to hand. Then she moved a little closer, giving her a curious look. Chiaki could have sworn her gaze darted down to her neck for a moment.

"It certainly would be, wouldn't it? Don't look so nervous. I don't bite," she teased. "Unless you want me to."


	7. Gonta/Kaede - Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kaegonta, no despair au, requested by Maple+girl
> 
> 932 words
> 
> in the right place at the right time

The streets were loud despite the late hour. Not where Kaede was walking, no, but nearby, close enough that she could hear the voices and music. People were celebrating somewhere, or fighting. It was difficult to tell, despite her well trained hearing. Perhaps both. She wasn't worried though. She was still riding the wave of excitement from her concert, a friend at her side. It had been her best performance ever. She could feel it, the way her piano had made the audience come alive. She'd been able to make people smile and share her heart with them, and that was more rewarding than anything in the world.

"It was amazing," Angie enthused from beside her. "Truly divine! I think even that idol was there, the one who's been in the news so much lately?" She hummed thoughtfully, grabbing for Kaede's hand while she tried to think of the singer's name. Kaede rolled her eyes, used to her antics, and couldn't help but smile in the darkness. She and Angie weren't all that close, usually, but as fellow lovers of the arts, they often attended each other's events.

"Maizono, that was it!" Angie finally exclaimed. "Maizono Sayaka. I saw her. She was totally crying! Your music moved her so much, Kaede."

Kaede chuckled, not quite sure how to react to that news. It seemed unbelievable that someone so famous would like her music that much, and Angie was known for stretching the truth sometimes, but this seemed genuine. She shrugged, deciding she might as well accept it as true for now. There'd undoubtedly be photos to prove it soon if it was. The paparazzi were constantly looking for shots of famous idols.

"Wow, really? I guess that's pretty cool." They continued walking as they talked, the occasional streetlight illuminating their way. Every so often, Kaede spotted another person passing by, but aside from whatever commotion was happening nearby, the night was peaceful. "Maybe we could stop somewhere on the way home," she suggested. "Find a restaurant that's open and get some dessert or something. I'd kill for a piece of cake right now."

"Hmmm..." Angie dragged the sound out for far longer than necessary, tapping a finger against her chin. "Nope, no can do! God told me that I have to get to bed early tonight, so I can paint early in the morning. There's going to be something beautiful to witness."

"But...it's already not exactly early." Kaede frowned, pulling her phone out with her free hand. Just as she thought, it was past midnight. "And what beautiful thing are you going to see in the morning?"

"I dunno. I don't need to know, I'll find it when I'm supposed to. Anyway, sorry, but Angie can't get cake with you tonight." Abruptly, Angie yanked her into a tight hug, and then let go just as suddenly. "Byeonara, Kaede!"

Just like that, she skipped away in the direction of the nearest subway station, leaving Kaede to stand there dazed, wondering what exactly just happened. 

"Well, whatever," she muttered under her breath, sighing. She'd just have to go somewhere herself. Thoughts still on Angie's sudden exit, and eyes on her phone, she stepped into the crosswalk, only to suddenly feel strong arms around her waist, pulling her back onto the sidewalk. It instantly became clear why when she looked up. A car whizzed past without so much as slowing down, right where Kaede had been walking. Her eyes widened, legs suddenly feeling weak. 

"Thank goodness!" a voice exclaimed from just behind her. "You okay?" The arms released her, and she was able to turn to face her rescuer. In the faint glow of the streetlights, she saw an absolutely massive man, well over six feet tall from what she could tell. His hulking build certainly explained why he'd had no problems pulling her out of the way so suddenly, and that combined with his long, messy hair gave Kaede an impression that she could only think was reminiscent of Tarzan. However, his clothes were in stark contrast to this. Tarzan certainly wouldn't wear such a nice suit.

"O-oh, um, yeah, I'm fine," she said, voice shaking a little. It was beginning to sink in that she really could have died. That car would have run her over. "Thank you."

"Oh, no trouble," the stranger assured her. "It's just what gentlemen do, and Gonta wants to be the best gentleman he can!"

"Gonta, huh? That's a nice name," Kaede replied, mostly trying to distract herself from the shock. "I'm Kaede. Kaede Akamatsu." To look at him, though, you would have thought she'd just given him the biggest compliment in the world. Gonta beamed, nodding enthusiastically.

"Thank you! And...Gonta already knows who you are! He was at your concert. It was so beautiful...Gonta never heard music like that before." He seemed to mean his praise wholeheartedly. If she didn't know better, Kaede would have thought he was about to start crying at the memory of it.

"Thank you, I'm glad you liked it," she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Um...I'm doing another performance next week. If you're interested, I'd be happy to get you a ticket," Kaede offered. "No charge. As a thank you for saving me, you know?" She hadn't been planning to say it until the words were already out of her mouth, but something about Gonta's earnestness was just too endearing. When he reacted with just as much childish excitement as before, pulling her into a gleeful hug, she knew she'd made the right choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had a really hard time thinking of something for this lmao


	8. Celeste/Kyoko - Invitations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> celesgiri, non-despair, requested by Carter_Casterwill
> 
> 900 words
> 
> in which celes and kyoko are useless lesbians and makoto is stuck in the middle.

Celestia Ludenberg had no doubt in her ability to convince others to do anything she wanted them to. Her personal ranking system was proof enough of that, with all C ranks acting as her servants, and those below unworthy of even that. All this considered, inviting someone to a school dance shouldn't be difficult at all. So why had she just spent what felt like the hundredth night in a row losing sleep over it? 

A little voice in the back of her head said that Kyoko was the first B rank, perhaps even A rank, she'd ever met. Unlike the worthless, infuriating masses, her opinion actually mattered. That was what had kept her from getting it over with.

Rather than listening to the voice and accepting whatever emotional vulnerability might be hiding within her, Celeste chose to think up another plan. The two before this hadn't worked, but the third time's the charm, right? Once she'd finished getting ready for the day, she set off in the opposite direction of the dining hall, pristine envelope in hand. Written invitations were so much classier. It was just a bonus that she wouldn't have to look Kyoko in the eye when she rejected her. In fact, she wouldn't have to be there at all.

Having arrived at her destination, she knocked sharply on the door, tapping her foot impatiently. Just as Celeste was lifting her hand to knock again, the door burst open, revealing a disturbingly sweaty and disheveled Hifumi Yamada. 

"What is it, my princess?" he asked, leering at her. She immediately felt like she needed to take a shower. Adequate servants were so hard to find. Focusing on a spot just to the left of Hifumi's head, she held out the envelope, pinching only the very edge of it between her nails, to avoid actually touching him.

"I require you to deliver this to Kirigiri-san on my behalf. You will do so prior to lunchtime, but _after_ you make yourself look less..." Celeste grimaced. "...yourself. I recognize this is a rather difficult thing to ask of you, given your usual behavior, but you must at least attempt to be as distinguished as you possibly can."

Hifumi nodded eagerly, gripping the envelope so tightly she could hear the paper crinkle. Celeste clenched one hand into a fist at her side.

"Yes, I won't disappoint you."

"Good," she replied. "That will be all." Eager to leave the vicinity of Hifumi's dorm room, she turned and headed for the dining hall right away. Regardless of the anxiety simmering within her, she had to act natural at breakfast. Perhaps it would have been better to send off Hifumi immediately, but looking like that...? No, waiting had been the only viable choice. Hopefully she just wouldn't run into Kyoko before the job was done.

* * *

She turned out to be in luck, but Makoto was almost just as bad. Oblivious and unlikely to spot any inconsistencies in her behavior, yes, but also close to Kyoko. Just as she was finishing her tea, he tapped her on the shoulder, a pathetically earnest look on his face.

"Celes-san?"

"...Yes?" She raised an eyebrow, taking her last sip of tea and waiting for him to continue.

"Well, um, I was just wondering...The dance is soon, you know? I guess I just wanted to know if you're going with anyone? Or...or if you're going at all, or have other plans, or anything like that?"

"I, ah, do apologize for any misunderstanding, Naegi-kun, but I'm unsure why you're asking me this. You are aware that I do not date men, yes?"

Makoto went bright red, nodding hurriedly and fiddling with the cuffs of his hoodie. Stupid boy. Celeste had no idea how Kyoko could stand being such close friends with him. His emotions were always written all over his face.

"Yes, I know. What I mean is, well, I'm not asking because _I_ want to go with you. Not that I _wouldn't_ want to go with you! I mean, it's not like 'ew, no, I wouldn't go with you.' Not like that! I was just..." Makoto exhaled slowly, raking a hand through his hair. It was even messier than before now, and Celeste had to stifle the urge to laugh. "Yamada-kun asked Kirigiri-san, did you know? Just before I came here."

"He _what_?" She was going to kill him.

"Yeah, I was really surprised too, but he had this fancy written invitation and everything. He didn't even wait to hear what she said. He just gave it to her and ran. Kirigiri-san was...pretty weirded out." That idiot. She hadn't thought she needed to specify for him to tell Kyoko that it was from her, or to wait for an answer, but Hifumi's stupidity could never be overestimated. She sighed, abandoning decorum for a moment to press a hand to her face in pure frustration. 

"I have to go," she said, getting to her feet. Makoto stumbled backwards to get out of her way, likely able to sense the malice radiating from her in waves. "I need to speak with Kirigiri-san. Where is she now?"

"Um, I think she's sitting in the courtyard," he said. "But Celes-san? I think...I know it might not be my place to say this, but I think you should just be honest with her. It'll probably turn out better than you think."


	9. Himiko/Tenko & Himiko/Korekiyo - Conflicted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tenmiko & himikiyo, post-game (killing game was a simulation), old/scrapped piece of an au
> 
> 1768 words
> 
> compromise isn't always easy.

Himiko frowned and rolled over. Hearing footsteps in the hall wasn’t strange even in the middle of the night, considering how many people she lived with. The sound seemed to be getting closer and closer to her room, though, not drifting off down the stairs or towards the bathroom. Just as she opened her eyes, the bedroom door started to open.

“What are you doing?” she whispered as her eyes adjusted to the dark. “It’s the middle of the night.” Korekiyo was still wary of being around Tenko at the best of times, so being so bold as to come into their bedroom uninvited was quite unexpected of him.

For a moment, there was silence, and in the moonlight streaming in from the window, Himiko saw the lingering wetness of tears on his face. So it was one of those nights, then.

“C’mere,” she muttered, still being as quiet as possible so she wouldn’t disturb her girlfriend.

“But Chabashira-san...”

“Is asleep,” Himiko finished for him, yawning. “It’s fine. She’ll never know.”

“If you’re sure,” Korekiyo whispered back, clearly uncertain. He closed the door behind him, and Himiko scooted closer to Tenko to make room for him in bed. Given how often she wound up cuddling and falling asleep with one friend or another, this wasn’t all that strange to her. Himiko knew that Tenko might think differently, but she was sure Korekiyo wouldn’t stay long.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Himiko asked. Tenko mumbled something in her sleep, and Korekiyo immediately tensed up even more.

“She talks in her sleep sometimes. It’s fine, I swear.” Himiko sighed, carefully extricating herself enough from Tenko that she could curl up to Korekiyo instead. He very slowly wrapped an arm around her, and Himiko leaned her head against one bony shoulder, feeling like she could fall asleep again right there.

“I don’t want to trouble you with my nightmares,” he mumbled.

“It’s nothing I haven’t heard before. I’ve had some pretty nasty ones of my own, you know.”

“About me,” Korekiyo said. It wasn’t a question.

“Some of them,” Himiko admitted, closing her eyes. “But it’s okay. Things are different now.”

“Still, discussing it wouldn’t help. I just...didn’t want to be alone.” _I wanted to remind myself you don’t hate me_ was unsaid, but Himiko picked up on it all the same. She nodded, content to just take in the feelings of warmth and affection that came with being surrounded by two of her favorite people.

“Just stay here then,” she murmured with a sleepy hum. “So you’re not lonely. And because I’m really comfy right now and don’t want to move.”

Korekiyo snorted quietly, but didn’t move, and Himiko knew she’d won.

“So it’s all for your sake, then, is it?”

“That’s right,” Himiko replied cheerily, having almost forgotten about Tenko right on her other side. She knew it was easier sometimes, framing things so that Korekiyo could think of it as doing her a favor. He was more likely to do something for her than for himself. They were all a bit like that sometimes, she supposed.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Korekiyo said, in the overly earnest tone that always made Himiko’s heart knot up uncomfortably because fuck, even before the killing game, nobody had really loved him, had they?

“Just go to sleep, you sap,” she said with a chuckle, grinning to herself in the darkness. 

When Himiko woke up the next morning, she opened her eyes to find Tenko’s arm flung across her, hand resting against Korekiyo’s hip. Himiko winced, wondering if she could move Tenko’s arm without her waking up. Maybe. Just as she was about to try, though, Tenko started to stir, and Himiko promptly decided the better course of action would be feigning sleep. Closing her eyes, she silently willed things to go well.

Tenko’s hand moved abruptly to her side, away again, and then back. An indignant little noise made itself heard, and Himiko wondered if she could melt into the bed and avoid dealing with this entirely.

“Himiko,” Tenko said a moment later, wavering slightly, and okay, that was a no. She definitely had to deal with it. “Why is there a _boy_ in our _bed_?” 

Reluctantly, Himiko opened her eyes. Korekiyo was clinging to her in his sleep, and that _really_ wasn’t going to make Tenko any more pleased. She hardly had time to open her mouth before Tenko was speaking again.

“And it couldn’t even be Saihara-kun or something, it had to be _him_?” She spat out the last word like someone might say ‘rabid raccoon’ or ‘sewage treatment plant.’ 

“Tenko, please,” Himiko sighed, fighting back the defensiveness bubbling in her chest. It would do no good to escalate things at this hour. “He had a nightmare...what was I supposed to do?”

“Not invite _Shinguji_ into our _bed?!”_ Tenko exclaimed, far too loudly for the hour.“I _touched_ him.” On some level, Himiko knew that she might have a point, even if she wasn’t a fan of the way she was expressing it. But at the same time, Angie had crawled into their bed quite a few times before, without _either_ of them being aware of it, and Himiko cuddled with other friends fairly often too, Shuichi being the most notable example. She knew that Tenko wouldn’t care much if it was anyone other than Korekiyo, and the unfairness of it chafed at her.

Meanwhile, Korekiyo had started to stir at the sound of his own name (unsurprisingly, since nobody could sleep through Tenko yelling that close to them), and Himiko glanced over to see him open his eyes and stretch. She’d gotten rather good at reading his expressions, and could tell that he was smiling behind his mask. Until the moment he processed the fact that Tenko was awake and staring at him, that was. 

“Good morning, Chabashira-san,” he offered, sounding perfectly relaxed. Even Himiko would have been fooled if she couldn’t feel him curling in on himself just a little, as though subconsciously seeking her protection. Maybe that was part of why being friends with Korekiyo worked so well, Himiko thought. People like Tenko and Angie seemed so strong on the outside, but it was blatantly obvious to anyone who paid attention that Korekiyo looked just as broken as Himiko felt. (Most people didn’t pay attention.) 

“You’re touching Tenko’s girlfriend,” Tenko said flatly, and Korekiyo recoiled as though he’d been slapped. To his credit, though, he didn’t retreat entirely. Himiko could nearly feel his heartbeat against her back when she turned to face Tenko again, and she wondered, not for the first time, how her life had led her to this moment.

“I apologize. I...it was not intentional,” he said tightly, backing up a little more. “I didn’t intend to spend the night here. I was talking to H-...to Yumeno-san, and I must have fallen asleep.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Himiko said softly. “It’s no different than me doing the exact same thing with Shuichi.” 

“Tenko trusts Saihara not to hurt you,” Tenko replied. “I’m just trying to protect you.”

“I assure you, I would never hurt Yumeno-san, or anyone else here,” Korekiyo said. “I would have liked to think the past several months of living with me would be enough to prove that to you. I truly never meant to cause you any discomfort, Chabashira-san.”

“Tenko wants Himiko to be happy, but she doesn’t trust you,” Tenko gritted out, getting up and leaving the room. A few moments later, Himiko heard the creak of the stairs, and considered going after her. No, better to let her cool off. It wasn’t the first time they’d had some variation of this argument, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. 

“I’m sorry,” Korekiyo began, but Himiko shook her head, eyes burning. 

“Don’t.” She almost choked on the single word, voice breaking. Korekiyo cursed under his breath, hesitantly drawing her closer, and Himiko melted into it. Shuichi was normally who she went to at times like this, but she had no idea if he was even awake. Instead, she just clung tight to Korekiyo, crying until she felt entirely wrung-out and numb. When Himiko drew back a little, she realized that she’d practically soaked his shirt through with her tears.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, sniffling and wiping her eyes.

“I’ll live,” Korekiyo said, tugging his mask down to give her a rare smile. That gesture alone would have set Tenko off again if she were there, Himiko suspected. (Not like she was even _there_ , she’d only watched the videos, not like Himiko, who’d never forget the chill that ran down her spine when she saw that for the first time as long as she lived.) 

She smiled back, still a little teary-eyed, and nodded. 

“I’m sure you’ll work things out with Chabashira-san. If that requires me taking a few steps back, that’s what I’ll do.”

“No, you shouldn’t have to do that,” Himiko argued. “You’re not doing anything wrong. Tenko and I can resolve this without me losing my best friend.”

“Best friend?” Korekiyo looked downright stunned, frozen partway through the motion of pulling his mask up again, and Himiko nodded vigorously, feeling her face grow warm.

“Well, it’s like I said in that dumb interview a few weeks ago,” she murmured, looking down at the sheets to avoid eye contact. “Tenko is my girlfriend, and Shuichi is like my brother, so Korekiyo is my best friend,” Himiko said, quoting her interview response. She loved all her friends dearly, and felt a little bad about picking favorites, but she couldn’t deny how much time she spent with Korekiyo lately, or how natural it felt to do so. “Anyway, I’m gonna...go shower,” she decided, suddenly feeling the need to have some time alone with her thoughts. Outpouring that much emotion in the space of an hour wasn’t easy for her.

She was halfway out the door when she heard a quiet, “Himiko.”

“Yeah?” Himiko glanced back to where Korekiyo was still sitting on the edge of her bed.

“You’re my best friend too.”

It was a few hours later when Tenko approached them. Himiko bit her lip, fingers faltering for just a moment as she continued braiding Korekiyo’s hair, glancing up at her girlfriend from her position on the floor.

“Shinguji is on thin ice. If Tenko’s asleep, he’s sleeping on the floor next time.” Though her words were still a little harsh, there wasn’t as much venom in them as before, and Himiko felt like maybe everything would be alright.


	10. Kaede/Kaito - Bittersweet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kaimatsu, pre-game, written for a crack ship challenge
> 
> 673 words
> 
> they had no way of knowing how ironic it all was.

"That's gonna be you next year, mark my words." He sneered, flicking a lazy hand towards the TV screen. It was currently displaying a grand ballroom, marble floor splattered with blood. A girl's body laid sprawled at the center of it all, mutilated beyond recognition. Kaede grinned.

"I know you'd like that," she said, leaning over and making a grab for the bottle he was holding. "But it's not gonna happen. I'm not stupid enough to get myself killed, unlike you. Strength isn't everything, y'know."

Momota was one of the most infuriating people she'd ever met. There was a reason Kaede didn't have faith in humanity, and he was a perfect example of why. Humans were selfish, brutal, delighting in violence and ready to double-cross anyone at any opportunity. It was what enabled Danganronpa to exist in the first place. Of course, she liked watching it too. She wasn't the sort of hypocrite to deny that. Humanity had no worth, and Kaede included herself in that statement wholeheartedly. 

"You just keep telling yourself that," Momota replied, taking a sip of beer. "Live in your little fantasy world while I get closer to the fame and fortune I deserve. Hey, if you manage to get in, I'll be sure to kill you quickly."

"You just keep telling yourself that," Kaede repeated. Onscreen, the students were discovering the body. Screams echoed around the cluttered room. For all of his faults, Momota had quite the nice sound system. It was worth putting up with him to watch new episodes here. She reached over for his beer again, and this time he let her take it. Kaede took a long sip and then passed it back, a pink lipstick stain on the glass.

Momota wrinkled up his nose when he caught sight of it, wiping it away with his thumb. That struck her as particularly funny, almost more so than the boy who'd just fainted upon seeing the corpse. She snickered, resting a hand on Momota's knee.

"So you'll kiss me, but a little lipstick is where you draw the line? Is your masculinity really that fragile?"

"Shut the hell up."

"Whatever. It tastes like shit anyway."

Sometimes she considered trying to hang out with the girls from school, the ones she acted friendly with during the day. They probably did normal, lighthearted things, like going out to dinner together or shopping for clothes. So she assumed, anyway. Kaede managed to pass as one of the popular ones at school, but that had never been the reality. Despite her appearance, she'd always felt much more at home with the Danganronpa fans, the ones who lounged around in dark, filthy spaces like Momota's basement and discussed their own deaths with something approaching glee. She belonged here with Momota, even if he pissed her off sometimes.

"Bet you like that Amami dude," he said, clear jealousy in the way he said it. He crossed his arms, pouting a little. Not that he'd ever admit to doing something so unmanly, of course. "Adventurer's a pretty sweet talent, I guess, but I don't get how a guy like that is still alive. He's too eager to help everyone."

"So what if I do like him? He's a good character." Kaede shrugged. "He's probably gonna be dead within a few weeks, so I don't know what your problem is. Think I'll leave you for a corpse?"

"Who said I have a problem? I was just making conversation."

"It's obvious you're jealous. Nobody has to say anything." She moved a little closer, fingers drumming idly against his leg.

"I'm not," he muttered again as he leaned in for a kiss.

"Okay," Kaede agreed a few moments later, giving him a second kiss before pulling away and getting up from the couch. "Are we going to do those audition videos today or not? The sooner we send them in, the better chance we have of getting accepted." A smile spread across Momota's face at that, jealousy forgotten for now.

"I thought you'd never ask."


	11. Kaede/Tenko - Shopping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tenkaede, hopes peak au, requested by jumptoit24
> 
> 1031 words
> 
> kaede and tenko grow closer. sequel to chapter 1, but can be read on its own!

“Hey, Tenko, do you want to come with me?”

Kaede smiled encouragingly, fingers tapping out the rhythm of a song against the doorframe. Class 79-A was buzzing with activity, everyone wrapped up in conversation, games, and other activities. The party would likely have to be moved somewhere else as time went on, but for now, their classroom served as a logical home base. Summer vacation was starting, and everyone would be heading their separate ways for the break, so having a little celebration first had been a universally liked idea. 

Right now, they were desperately in need of more snacks and drinks, so Kaede had volunteered to take a quick trip to the store. She’d be able to manage on her own, and maybe she _should,_ as one of the class representatives, but she noticed the way Tenko had been acting for the past half hour. She definitely needed a little fresh air.

The aikido master’s eyes abruptly jerked away from Himiko, and she glanced over her shoulder, returning Kaede’s smile. It didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“To the store?” Tenko asked. For a moment, Kaede thought she was going to refuse, but then she nodded, getting up. “Of course! Tenko will protect you from any nasty men there, and carry the grocery bags!” A newfound sparkle in her eye, she bounded over to where Kaede was waiting by the door. Not a single backwards glance. _Good,_ Kaede thought.

“In that case, I’m sure I’ll have nothing to worry about. I can’t imagine a better bodyguard.” She smiled, straightening up and stepping out into the hall. She’d always thought Tenko was charming, if a little overbearing, but they’d been spending a lot more time together lately. Distracting her so she wouldn’t spend all her time pining over Himiko was the least Kaede could do. She knew what it was like to be crushing on someone who was already taken.

Right beside her, Tenko linked their arms together and took off down the corridor at an alarming pace. Kaede stumbled, practically needing to jog to keep from falling. Tenko’s arm in her own was...surprisingly muscular. Sure, she was always training and throwing people around, but feeling that strength for herself was another thing entirely. Kaede’s face felt warmer than before, only partially due to exertion.

“Whoa,” she said with a laugh. “What’s the hurry? If Ishimaru-kun sees us running in the halls, he’ll never let us go. The lecture will last forever.” Kaede tried her best to be friendly with all the upperclassman reps, but Ishimaru was certainly intense. She had no idea how Class 78 dealt with him all the time.

“How else is Tenko supposed to release all this energy? This isn’t even running!” _Just like that wasn’t yelling?_ Kaede winced slightly, but no one else seemed to be nearby. “Seeing a precious little creature like Himiko-chan spending so much time with a degenerate, letting him...touch her. It just makes Tenko so angry!” Despite what she said, Tenko slowed down to a more comfortable pace, and Kaede breathed a sigh of relief.

“Yeah, I know it’s hard. It seems like things have been a little better lately though, right? I’ve had a lot of fun with you, and I’ve seen you hanging out with other people too. You don’t need to keep an eye on Himiko all the time.” They’d reached the front entrance by now, and stepped outside into the warm summer light. 

“I guess,” Tenko agreed, arm still linked with Kaede’s. They passed a few other students now and then as they headed off-campus and to the nearest convenience store, mostly Reserve Course. “Tenko loves _all_ girls, and Kaede’s so nice, and wise, and beautiful...but Himiko needs to be protected. Tenko knows she’ll never get to date her, and that’s okay, Tenko’s moving on, but I still love her.”

“I think that’s really sweet of you, as long as you remember to give her some space too,” she said, in an echo of the same advice she’d given Tenko several times over the past few months. “And...thank you. I think you’re really nice and beautiful too,” Kaede continued earnestly. “And you have your own kind of wisdom. You’ve given lots of people really good advice before.”

Predictably, Tenko’s face flushed bright red, and she shook her head vigorously, hair hitting Kaede’s arm. 

“No. No way! I’m nowhere near as beautiful as you!” They’d reached the store now, and Tenko unlinked their arms, still blushing as she took half the list and strode off down one of the aisles. Kaede just shook her head, beginning to gather up the items from her own half of the list. With the way Tenko acted around almost all girls, it was difficult to tell when she had a crush versus when she was just being herself. 

Was it bad that in this case, Kaede was hoping for the former?

The two girls met back up at the counter when they were done, both significantly calmer than when they came in. After they paid for their purchases and stepped back out into the heat, Tenko grabbed the two bags Kaede was holding.

“Kaede! Tenko told you she would carry all the groceries,” she said indignantly, hefting all five bags easily. Jeez, why did their classmates need so many snacks? “All girls deserve to be treated like queens.”

“Alright, if you’re sure,” Kaede agreed, gaze focused on Tenko instead of the sidewalk ahead of them. “Thank you. But...doesn’t that include you, then? Who’s going to treat you like a queen?”

“W-well...” Tenko looked away, walking a little faster. “Whoever wants to, I guess. As long as it’s not a man.”

“Then...maybe it could be me?” Kaede sped up to match her pace, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek.

“Is this...Are you asking Tenko out?” Tenko seemed as if she might spontaneously burst into flames. Kaede was actually beginning to worry.

“Yeah, if that’s alright.”

When Tenko dropped all the bags to sweep her up in a tight hug instead, it was difficult to believe she’d ever been so hung up on Himiko at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> after the requests that have already been made, i won't be adding to this fic. 
> 
> please submit requests to https://archiveofourown.org/collections/platonicsreq instead! they'll be filled and posted as individual oneshots.


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